David Mabbs
A surly-looking Mabbs holding the prize for winning the 1957 London Boy's Under-16 championship [though whether the cup was for boxing or chess is unknown, Ed.]
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Favourite Colour:
Red, a throwback to my political youth. Favourite Football Team: Fond memories of Real Madrid and of Barcelona (Johann Cruyff !) who I used to watch in 1974. Pets: We used to have a live-in tortoise called Lenin, who always got the better of our cat when it came to fighting for the best places to lie. Nowadays we treat our garden birds as our pets, and we spend a small fortune feeding them. Hobbies other than Chess: Until I gave up chess forever in 1964, there was no question of having other hobbies. Later came photography, badminton and genealogy. (Annoying and boring other people is also quite fun.) Marital Status: Married to Jenny since 1965. The secret of our long marriage is down to one thing – inertia. |
Favourite Music Band/Singer:
Oh dear – this dates me ! Edith Piaf, The Beatles and André Rieu. Favourite Film of all time: Oh dear – this dates me ! Oliver, and How the West was Won. Last book read (excluding Chess): A singular view, by Frank B Brady. (Don't ask !) Favourite Holiday Destination: For all-round stimulation, it has to be Italy. France is a close second. Most Memorable Holiday: Our twenty-eight-day “Farewell to Europe” trip in 2013. We arranged our own rail itinerary criss-crossing eleven countries all the way to the Black Sea and back. Most observers, and we too , aged 72 and 67 with many frailties and impediments, thought that the trip would likely end in disaster, but the many mishaps proved to be only minor. |
Now for some Chess Stuff! When did you start playing? Shortly after the game was invented. To be exact, in 1949 when I was eight years old. My friend Dave Levens and I learned the moves together. |
Mabbs awarding Cap'n Dave Payne the prize money for most gracious loser at the Lowestoft Rapidplay 2019.
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When did you first join a club?
Living in Carmelite Road, we boys quickly styled ourselves Carmelite Chess Club. Quite soon after that, the Community Association of the Cedars Estate adopted us, bought clocks and equipment and gave us a playing room: Cedars Chess Club was born in the early 1950s. Traditional chess clubs were uncomfortable with us youngsters – so Cedars entered leagues at the bottom and raced to the top. Cedars Chess Club became a legend, much written about to this day. Most memorable Chess Moments: I'd have to say, winning an individual gold medal at the World Students' Team Championships in 1961. Another joyful memory was sacrificing my Queen against Mikhail Tal (during a simultaneous display). I doubt that many of his opponents did this, at least, not deliberately ! Funniest Chess Moment: The notorious Dave Rumens & David Mabbs combo, returning to the suburbs on the last Bakerloo Line train after a London League match, with Norman Stephenson: we spent the journey playing on Norman's travelling plug-in chess set, and as we alighted Dave pointed back at an object on the floorboards which looked like a red piece. Norman jumped back in as the doors closed. Dave whispered to me “it's a red smartie”. Norman had to walk home three miles in the dead of night. What made it even funnier was that Norman tried to brush it all off. “I knew all the time !” he said. This became a catch-phrase! What are your strong points and weak points? My only strength is my experience. My weak points include some fifty years since I studied, practised or played regularly. In that time I've forgotten most of what I once knew, and this is aggravated by my advanced age whereby I lack speed, stamina, concentration and just about everything else – you name it ! Do you have a copy of your best ever win? I can't be sure, since I gave away all the scoresheets from my early career. But I'm proud of my London League game from 1960 against L. Alexander. In open board with all the pieces on I played the unthinkable Rd1-d5, putting it directly en prise to a pawn. I had calculated mate in eleven moves including another straight piece sacrifice along the way, a bishop, and this is how the game finished. It was published in very many countries. Only much later did we learn that Black could have defended better against the forthcoming bishop sacrifice, and that I should have played an alternative and less flashy winning continuation ! Your aims for the future: To decline gracefully with dignity and good humour. I am comfortable in my skin, recognising that I am “yesterday's man” and the only way, realistically, is down. |